“The real critic is the audience”

by Manuel Moraga
photos: Luis Castilla

After the tempestuous professional relationship with the previous director of the Agencia para el Desarrollo del Flamenco, in which she unquestionably came out on top, Cristina Hoyos is now in the news as a result of two strictly artistic events: the tribute in her honor at the Festival del Cante de las Minas, and the staging of “Romancero Gitano” at the Generalife in Granada, which runs through August 26th. With script and staging by José Carlos Plaza, the lady who heads the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía is highlighting Lorca.

Whose idea was it to resort once again to Lorca, was that your doing?
Well, each year at the García Lorca Festival, one of the poet’s works must be represented. In 2003 we did “Yerma” with José Carlos Plaza, and he had an idea for the Romancero that was very nice, so now we’re back at the Generalife gardens with this work.

Ten chapters have been selected, did you make the choices?
No, that was basically José Carlos’ doing. He came to me and said, “Cristina, I’ve picked out these poems which are the most easily adaptable to dance, to express our feelings and vision”, and I thought it was great.

What ‘palos’ do you make use of to interpret the work?
Quite a variety, not just one or two. There’s a very wide assortment, a bit of everything. Soleá, rondeña, siguiriya, martinete, bamberas....you name it!

Isn’t it risky taking on Lorca when he’s one of the most ubiquitous names in flamenco?
Well, you always worry about things, but the point is, Lorca is very close to our hearts. When I say “our hearts” I’m thinking of flamenco, because being an Andalusian poet who loved flamenco music, who composed, who was a real man of his people, it’s always problematic, but we tried to put it all together as best as possible, to recreate the way he felt when he wrote those wonderful words.

Would you say the choreography is daring or conservative?
It’s on the daring side, because both José Carlos and myself feel Lorca was very avant-garde for his time, so we wanted to get as close as possible to how he felt when he wrote these poems. And we ended up with some risky choreography. You have to keep charging ahead. The show has to be absolutely relevant, without ever forgetting our flamenco roots.

“The show has to be absolutely relevant, without ever forgetting our flamenco roots”

Romancero Gitano - foto: Luis Castilla

Is the choreography yours and Junco’s, or did some other maestro contribute?
The choreography is my own, with the invaluable contribution of Junco, but we’re a team and I think José Carlos also had a very clear idea of what he wanted in the choreography. There’s also my husband Juan Antonio who was always giving advice. This is a team effort, everyone contributed in their own way.

The previous work, “Viaje al Sur”, was a great popular success, but some of the critics didn’t treat it kindly. Who is more important for you?
You’re talking about the critics in Seville, because throughout the rest of the world they loved it.

Well, in Madrid there was also a bad review, in El País specifically.
Well, yes, the article by mister (to call him “mister” instead of something else) Roger Salas, but the rest were all very good. Don’t just look at the bad, look at the good as well.

That’s why I said “some” of the critics.
The show was a huge success and had fabulous write-ups everywhere we went. Besides, the real critic is the audience itself, and they loved it, applauding straight through and filling the theaters. That’s the real critic.

“This is a time when the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía is performing more than ever and having greater success than ever the world over”

When you’re putting together a work, do you know how it’s going to turn out? Does experience let you know when something is going to work, or when the audience is going to applaud? Is everything controlled?
It’s not controlled. The thing is, as you go along and it begins to take shape, you know whether or not it’s going to be great. This thing we’re doing now, there’s no doubt it’s going to be a great show. No doubt whatsoever. You begin to notice it in the atmosphere between the members of the group, when they all say “that’s great!...it’s realling coming together”, you feel it in the air.

What is your vision as director of the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía? What do you think should be the philosophy of this institution?
To continue working as we’ve been doing so far. We’ve created “Viaje al Sur” which was performed many times, and we’re going to continue doing it because there are contracts signed, and the philosophy is to keep working hard and doing great things as we’re been doing. I think this is a time when the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía is performing more than ever and having greater success than ever the world over. So I think we should just keep on the same track, don’t you think?

The reason I ask is because being a public institution, perhaps you can do things a private ballet might not do, you know this, because you don’t necessarily depend on the bottom line.
The idea is to be bold, but not spend money like some people do, when they spend a fortune on capricious effects and then have six or seven performances. So I think the philosophy is to try put on a good show, and you really put yourself into it even though it’s public money. The philosophy is to work, do it right, be consistent and do a better and better job.

Romancero Gitano - foto: Luis Castilla

José Carlos Plaza es el puntal indiscutible de este espectáculo”

“José Carlos Plaza is unquestionably the pivotal point of this show”

Are you still dancing?
Yes yes, I dance. Less than before, but I dance.

What part do you have in the Romancero?
I dance in “Romance de la Pena Negra”...better known as the romance of Soledad Montoya.

Tell me about José Carlos Plaza…
He knows Lorca inside and out. Every detail, every little thing. He’s done a wonderful job. Just as he did before with “Yerma”, but this time, since it’s ten poems, it’s ten separate stories. So he’s really done a great job. I think he’s the creative force of the festival, because he was always lobbying for Granada to have a festival devoted to Lorca. He likes to say he is overcome with emotion whenever he sees us dance. It’s all a wonderful team effort and José Carlos Plaza is unquestionably the pivotal point of this show.

More information:

"“Viaje al Sur” Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía